


Gentleman's Alliance

by Tarlan



Series: Gentleman's Revenge [6]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: mcsheplets, Drama, M/M, Merry Month of Masturbation Challenge, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-24
Updated: 2014-05-24
Packaged: 2018-01-26 09:36:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1683629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The day approaches for when Rodney and John will seal their alliance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gentleman's Alliance

**Author's Note:**

> Written for:  
>  **McSheplets** 176: ring  
>  **MMoM 2014** : DAY 24

"No son of mine will make an alliance with a Sheppard!" Rodney's father roared, and Rodney ducked as his father threw a half-filled decanter at his head. It missed and shattered behind Rodney on the stone mantelpiece, splashing the back of Rodney's trousers with Port.

"You are hardly in a position to dictate my alliances while our family's reputation had fallen into ruin. Perhaps if you had not started this feud with the Sheppards then I might not be forced into a reconciliation with them." 

He hoped his words were hard and heated sufficiently for his father to believe this was a duty he was forced into by their loss of good name and fortune. His father understood the concept of duty but love was not a word that had ever formed part of his vocabulary. If he learned that Rodney had true feelings for Lord Sheppard, and that these feelings were reciprocated, then he might sabotage the alliance out of malice. The knowledge that he would destroy Rodney's happiness and good prospects in the process would pale into insignificance compared to the suffering brought upon Lord Sheppard.

"I find this most disagreeable," his father responded angrily.

Once the alliance had taken place then the names of both their houses would be inextricably linked, and any attempt to bring down the good name of the Sheppards would reflect just as poorly on the McKay family. It would be injurious to Jeannie too even though she was now Mrs. Miller. Their presence at court would be refused, and Rodney would certainly lose any opportunity of seeing the wonders of the Great Hall in Atlantis, for few were presented there.

As the companion to Lord Sheppard through an alliance of their families, Rodney held great certainty that he would be presented. His reputation had already preceded him on the subject of science and mathematics, and he had once entertained a fantasy that this alone would grant him the opportunity to work within the great tower despite lacking the pure blood required to bring forth light to the city.

He lifted his chin defiantly as he faced down his father. His duty as a son to honor and obey conflicted greatly with restoring the good name of the McKays, and of his own admittedly selfish needs too. He felt his chin trembling, a sign of weakness that his father would choose to exploit, so steeled himself with images of his intended - the soft eyes full of want, and the gentle, almost shy smile. He felt his heart stutter at the beauty of the man so vividly recalled to mind.

"The alliance is in our family's best interest." And mine he added silently. "It will restore our good name and I will be in a position to ensure you may continue to reside in McKay Park."

"But at what cost?"

"I fear we have already paid a high price for your earlier transgressions against the Sheppards. However, I see this alliance in the most positive light."

His father subsided, slumping back into his favorite armchair beside the fire place in the library. His fingers snapped in a gesture that Rodney had acquired from his father, and dutifully Rodney poured a snifter of brandy for both of them, and took one glass to his father's side. Silently he mourned the loss of the crystal decanter that was an alliance gift from his mother's family to the McKays. She had married his father out of obligation and had spent much of her loveless marriage in quiet misery, having little respect for the hard-hearted man who had ruled their house like a tyrant. That she was his father's second choice for an alliance was a well known fact; the first choice having become the mother to Lord Sheppard and his brother, Mr. David Sheppard.

For a time Rodney had entertained the notion that his father might have had strong feelings towards Lady Sheppard; that his actions in defaming Lord Patrick Sheppard stemmed from a man whose mind was lost in the throes of passion. Instead, he learned that his father saw only a profitable alliance missed and taken up by a house that already had a purer bloodline than most. Her blood, as cousin to the King, would have improved the opportunities for producing pure blood in the McKay progeny.

Lamentable though this might appear to his father, who had named his sister Jean after Lady Sheppard in order to spite Rodney's own mother, Rodney knew he had gained gifts of equal worth from his beloved mother. Her mind was sharp and she had passed this blessing to both of her children, and they had both benefited from her love of tutoring from an early age.

***

As he lay in his bed that night, Rodney hoped he had dissuaded his father from any course that might bring further shame upon the family. His alliance to Lord Sheppard was but a few days away, to take place in the hall of the Magistrate of Alliances as was customary but with far more pomp and ceremony as befitting the King's cousin. There was gossip that the King might grace himself with his presence - not that Rodney could care less. He would be happier with a far less pomp - a quick assertion that he was in agreement to the alliance, and then to bed.

The image of Lord John Sheppard lying naked in his bed sent shivers of pleasure racing through Rodney and he could not resist the temptation to ease the desire with his own hand. The thought that in a few days he might no longer have to engage in this solitary pleasure was sufficient to have him gasping, one hand brushing his nipple to increase the pleasure tenfold. When he spilled into his hand, he had John's name on his lips and John's face at the forefront of his mind.

Just a few more days, he thought, and with fortune on his side, his father would not send them all into further ruin.

***

The day of the Alliance arrived and John took a deep breath as he gazed at himself in the dressing mirror.

After weeks of sparse kisses and long discourses on the sciences and the arts, John hoped that this night he might take Rodney to his bed as his companion. His fears of the father, Sir Declan McKay, causing problems were so far groundless, but John was not one to take such risks lightly, especially once he was made aware of the history between his father and Rodney's. He felt quite sad for his mother, caught between two houses who wanted her only for her contribution to the blood line. Neither man had loved her, both treating her as an object.

He recalled sitting with his mother and making a childhood - and possibly childish - promise that he would not marry for duty but for love. However, today he would keep that promise.

A gentle tapping at the door took him from his revelry and he bade them enter, smiling at the mirrored reflection of his brother.

"Do you have it?" he asked, and saw David nod and pull a small velvet pouch from the hidden pocket of his tailcoat.

John turned and watched as David spilled the ring onto the palm of his hand. It was a ring like no other, made from the same strange metal that formed the towers of the great city. It glowed a soft blue in David's palm but brightened considerably when John picked it up to study it. It was their mother's ring, handed down from one generation to the next. Only rarely would it adorn the finger of one without the pure blood, most often when given to a male companion from a blood line weakened over generations, taken in an alliance of houses. It had shone only weakly for his father, and John knew it might not shine at all for Rodney. As both he and his intended were both male, John could choose to wear the ring and provide another for Rodney, but the thought of placing his mother's ring upon the hand of the man he had come to love so deeply filled him with excitement. Perhaps it was a primal urge, of claiming his mate, and hence uncivilized but John wanted to claim Rodney fully, leaving no shadow of doubt that Rodney was the one John had chosen to be his life-long companion.

Anyway, he reasoned, if they were to have progeny then there was a considerable chance that these children would bring light to the court, and to this ring.

The carriage was waiting and he accompanied his brother downstairs, taking a moment to ensure he was dressed as befitting a gentleman of his rank before leaving the house and climbing into the carriage.

"Our cousin will be joining us," David stated solemnly. "He is intrigued that you should make an alliance with the McKays and wishes to see which McKay has turned your head away from far more suitable matches."

John raised both eyebrows for it was not often that their cousin, the King, attended ceremonies willingly.

When he reached the Magistrate's hall, he was not surprised to see the gathering outside of curious onlookers. Standing just inside the great door, he caught sight of Rodney in his finery, and felt a jolt of pleasure and excitement. He could not help but smile as he watched Rodney nervously playing with his hands, pacing back and forth. John made his way towards his intended companion, and his heart skipped another beat when Rodney turned and caught sight of him. The light caught Rodney's face to perfection, lighting his blue eyes as if they were of Ancient craft, catching John's attention so fully that he was not aware of the rise in voices surrounding him or in the presence at his shoulder until he felt a hand upon his shoulder.

"So this is the McKay who turned your head, Sheppard."

John startled but recovered quickly, turning and offering a salute to his King before allowing some of the formality to fall away.

"Your Gracious."

"Come now, John, are we not cousins. Let's not stand on ceremony. I get enough pomp and salutes from others."

John nodded graciously. "Jack," he replied far less formally, using the intimate family name rather than the more formal 'Jonathan'.

"McKay?" Jack gave him a dubious look, and John shrugged.

"He grows on you."

By this time they had walked into the hall, and Jack stepped to the right hand side to stand with the Sheppards. When John stepped up next to Rodney, he saw him wide eyed, flicking glances towards Jack but the moment his eyes caught John's the fear and anxiety faded instantly. The Magistrate called them to order and John took his place by Rodney's side.

The moment came when the Magistrate asked if anyone had reason to believe this alliance should not be forged and John held his breath when he heard someone clear their throat. All eyes turned in the direction of Sir Declan McKay, who had no doubt attended under duress or to cause harm to the proceedings, but McKay subsided quickly, turning pale before looking away. John glanced over in time to see a smile of satisfaction on Jack's face. Most obviously, his cousin, the King, had made it apparent to McKay that he would not stomach any pettiness from the man.

The words were as ancient as the great city, and John repeated his vows to Rodney and before this company solemnly and with great dignity.

"I take you, Meredith Rodney McKay...."

Rodney followed, and John felt the air stirring between them, thick and heavy with raw emotion as they exchanged rings. His whole body jolted in pleasure when Rodney took his hand, pushing a band of platinum onto his finger. In turn, he took Rodney's hand and placed his mother's ring upon Rodney's finger, seeing just the smallest shimmer of blue that proved Rodney carried the blood of the Ancients.

The Magistrate pulled out the small ceremonial dagger and John saw Rodney cringe as he held out his hand, making John grin when he made a small fuss over the tiny puncture mark that produced but one droplet of blood. The single droplet went into a tiny, crystal and with far less fuss, John allowed a droplet of his own blood to join it.

The resulting rays of blue light strongly emanating from the crystal sent a small cheer through the small gathering inside the hall. It was a good omen that any offspring would be strong in the blood line, and meant that Rodney's blood was purer than most would believe. The Magistrate bowed solemnly as the last rite was completed and he announced them as companions.

John reached up and cupped Rodney's cheek, drawing them together in what he hoped would be the first of many more kisses.

Their alliance was sealed.

END

.


End file.
